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Plaque Disclosing Products Show Your Dental Care Skills

How can you tell that you’ve successfully removed plaque after brushing and flossing your teeth? You may actually see some food particles, but you may not see the plaque, which is sticky but colorless.

If you are at increased risk for plaque buildup due to receding gums, wearing braces, a chronic medical condition or other risk factors, using a plaque-disclosing product can help to identify areas of your teeth that you’ve missed after completing your oral care routine. Plaque disclosing products contain a harmless dye that reacts with the plaque that may remain on areas of the teeth after cleaning. When you see the dyed areas, you can identify trouble spots to focus on when you brush and floss properly.

Before using a plaque-disclosing product, brush and floss your teeth as usual. Then you can choose from the following:

Plaque disclosing tablet: Chew a tablet and let it mix with the saliva in your mouth, then swish the saliva around for about 30 seconds and spit it out.

Plaque disclosing swab: Use the swabs to wipe the surfaces of your teeth.

Plaque disclosing solution: Swish the solution around in your mouth for about 30 seconds and spit it out.

Plaque disclosing floss: Use a colored floss to show the plaque you’ve removed after you use it.

Remember: Even if you aren’t at increased risk for gum disease, plaque disclosing products let you test yourself to see how effectively you remove plaque from your teeth.